I Hate You, Dell Power Cord!

**bombatomba** · July 19, 2009

Anyone else have this problem? It happens on laptops, maybe your kid jerks the power cord around, or maybe it falls off the kitchen table. Maybe you just step on it on accident, but the result is the same: the message "AC Power cannot be determined", and it powers up but refuses to charge.

Everywhere I look across the Internet I see the same thing from so many: A collective cry to never buy Dell again!

**Tony_32** · July 19, 2009

Well, when you get computers at a bargain, the cost has to come from somewhere. I held back on a job I was an inch away from officially being hired as a field tech working under Dell. I heard too many horror stories so I bailed last minute after getting my Dell cert. I don't regret it a bit.

But regarding that, if it's under warranty, contact Dell. If not, try a multimeter and check the output.

**bombatomba** · July 19, 2009

Well it's not all bad. This particular laptop was given to me by a customer when she wanted a new one. It's a Latitude D600, and it's kind of cursed anyways. The downside is that my wife is now used to having a laptop around, so I may end up looking at new ones before the week is out.

As for the cord, it's actually a fairly common problem with Dell laptops. On many (or most) AC power cords the bundled wires are of such so cheap and flimsy that all it really takes is for someone to bend the cord too much, and voile! Instant crap! To compound the problem the market has been flooded with even cheaper replacement cords from China, many of which are broken before they leave the factory floor. It's become such a common problem that I've been advising my customers against purchasing Dell products.

Looks like you sidestepped that landmine, Tony_32. Even in the current job market I would still have problems with my conscience taking a job like that.

**Data** · July 19, 2009

I don't trust Dell products. Their parts are not interchangeable with other manufacturers and you can't overclock them. My dad owned a Dell with a socket 478 which is still running good today after I rebuilt it and cleaned it.

Then he bought a Dell XPS with the micro box and the motherboard burned out on him after one month and the fan on the graphic card quit which resulted in a half-screwed card. The thing runs so hot that, after he gave it to me for Christmas I keep the side panel off. "it does make a great television recorder"

I don't buy computers from stores anymore because they cost is too much and I sure don't recommend Dell to consumers.

Big business's like Dell because when they break down, the technicians are there the next day to replace the defective part.

**Data** · July 19, 2009

When major components fail it does make me wonder about the quality, but if something like a power cord fails, which never has for me, I would find a spare I keep handy in one of my boxes of spare parts. It's a 4 dollar item depending how many feet long it is. If it comes from China it's probably under 3 feet.

**Hidinger** · July 20, 2009

Anyone else have this problem? It happens on laptops, maybe your kid jerks the power cord around, or maybe it falls off the kitchen table. Maybe you just step on it on accident, but the result is the same: the message "AC Power cannot be determined", and it powers up but refuses to charge.
Everywhere I look across the Internet I see the same thing from so many: A collective cry to never buy Dell again!

I am a computer engineer, (amongst other things) and I have a dell laptop. I love it. When it comes to desktop systems I will buy them (or make the parts) myself. Dealing with laptops is just a pain. I am on my 5th Dell Laptop Power Cable. While I would never buy a Dell Desktop, the laptop itself has been nothing but awesome for me (for years now) but I just have to accept that I am going to go through the power cables like candy. I feel your pain, but trust me, it could be worse.